1. Field of the Invention
The present invention, in general, relates to apparatus used for suspending plants and, more particularly, to devices for hanging potted plants which allow for the ready removal of the potted plants therefrom.
Hanging supports for potted plants are well known. However, as plants grow they periodically need to be transplanted (re-potted) into larger vessels. As the branches and shoots also grow, they tend to become entangled with the hanging support as well.
This makes removal of the potted plant from the hanging support difficult to accomplish, and also introduces an increased element of risk that the plant may be damaged during removal from the hanging support or during installation back into the hanging support.
In fact, occasionally some plants develop growth that actually wraps entirely around certain of the supports so that removal of the hanging support away from the plant, as is necessary for the re-potting of the plant, becomes impossible to accomplish without also having to sever certain of the shoots.
Also, during periodic decorating of homes and businesses, the need to move certain plants from their hanging supports and to substitute other plants in those hanging supports, arises.
Accordingly there exists today a need for a detachable hanging plant support for potted plants that allows for the easy removal or installation of potted plants apart from the hanging plant support without causing damage to the plant.
2. Description of Prior Art
Hanging supports for potted plants are, in general, known. For example, the following patents describe various types of these devices:
U.S. Pat. No. 951,684 to Gillespie, Mar. 8, 1910; PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 1,154,627 to Hall, Sep. 28, 1915; PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 2,530,456 to Fracchia, Nov. 21, 1950; PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 3,981,099 to Dziewulski, Sep. 21, 1976; PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 4,032,102 to Wolf et al, Jun. 28, 1977; PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 4,506,475 to Elliott, Mar. 26, 1985; PA0 U.S. Des. Pat. No. 246,145 to Hendricks, Oct. 25, 1977; PA0 and U.K. Pat. No. 4647 to Thoolen, Oct. 7, 1909.
While the structural arrangements of the above described devices, at first appearance, have similarities with the present invention, they differ in material respects. These differences, which will be described in more detail hereinafter, are essential for the effective use of the invention and which admit of the advantages that are not available with the prior devices.